Summary

Our Score

User Score

Canon EOS 100D - Image Quality

As the Canon EOS 100D features many of the nuts and bolts of Canon’s triple-digit DSLR line-up, we had high expectations for its image quality. And, on the whole, the 100D delivers.

The 63-zone SPC metering system can be trusted to deliver accurate exposures in a variety of conditions, managing to record scenes faithfully and displaying no signs of under or overexposure.

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If you’re looking to boost detail in either shadow or highlight areas, an ‘Auto Lighting Optimiser’ setting is available at three different strengths – low, standard or high – and these offer results akin to an HDR backlight control option.

Colours are vivid and accurate, too. There’s no sign of colour cast, while the camera’s auto white balance also performs well, with only the slight tendency to err towards cooler or more neutral tones.

The 100D’s 18MP sensor captures an impressive level of detail, producing images that you’d have no issues cropping in on. To resolve the very highest amount of detail, we advise you shoot Raw, or Raw and JPEG.

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ISO performance is another area where the 100D excels. Noise is absent entirely between ISO 100 and 800, and even when it begins to appear at ISO 1600 it remains manageable. ISO 6400 is the setting at which noise begins to be an issue, although even ISO 12,800 is still usable when absolutely necessary.

Verdict

The Canon EOS 100D is an excellent DSLR that presents an interesting alternative to CSCs in terms of specification and size, as well as fitting in well with Canon’s entry-level DSLR selection.

Although it’s a lot more expensive than Canon’s current entry-level DSLR – the Canon EOS 1100D – it’s a far superior DSLR in terms of design, performance and build quality, and if your budget can stretch there’s no contest between the 1100D and 100D.

The 100D is more like the Canon EOS 700D when it comes to price; while the 700D is better specified than the 100D, if size is imperative to you than the 100D wins out here as well.